The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 223

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 223

 

Episode 223.

 

‘What am I thinking…’

 

But that thought only surfaced for a brief moment before disappearing again.

 

He was overwhelming the skeleton soldiers so decisively that his emotions were momentarily stirred.

 

‘Still, he’s just a disciple who hasn’t even achieved transcendence. He’s not at a level to compare with one who has reached the position of Sword Master.’

 

Though that disciple was impressive, he wasn’t comparable to that man.

 

It would be presumptuous to even attempt such a comparison.

 

The level of the limit trial the Sword Master underwent and the limit trial that disciple underwent were as different as heaven and earth.

 

But it was true that he had momentarily thought of him.

 

That disciple’s movements and overwhelming performance weren’t at a level an ordinary disciple should display.

 

‘I know well enough that disciples have particularly large gaps in power…’

 

In recent years, many of these so-called disciples had arrived.

 

With their peculiar trait of immortality, they had particularly large power gaps.

 

While many possessed levels that could only make one sigh, there were quite a few among them worthy of respect.

 

Some among them had such tremendous skill differences that it was hard to believe they were at the same level.

 

Especially, several of them possessed skills excellent enough to satisfy the Spirit of the Lion King…

 

Crack! Bang!

 

‘…This is the first time I’ve felt sorry for the soldiers.’

 

But they hadn’t been beaten so one-sidedly like this.

 

This wasn’t a matter of good or bad skills.

 

The difference in raw specs between the soldiers and that guy was already as extreme as heaven and earth.

 

Thwack! Thwock! Thwack!

 

Grr, grrr… Grr…

 

As if even dodging was becoming bothersome, he was just taking hits while beating them down one by one – this was bullying beyond bullying.

 

[You have cleared Stage 5 with perfect completion.]

 

…

 

[You have cleared Stage 7 with perfect completion.]

 

Neither the elite soldier-grade skeleton soldiers of the 5th floor nor the Death Knights of the 7th floor could stop that human’s rampage.

 

-Wow, what a spectacle… Suffering seemed a bit left out since he’s the only skeleton soldier, but would those guys be happy if we made them soldiers too?

 

-Ho, you were always bickering, but in the end you do look after your subordinates. A very admirable sight.

 

-Rizariza.

 

Even at this moment, the Guardians didn’t move.

 

-Ah, no, well. They’re all bones, so I thought they kind of resembled those guys. What’s so cute about that guy that I’d look after him?

 

-There’s no need to be embarrassed. It’s a very excellent attitude as a lord.

 

-Me? No way? I never looked after anyone? I wasn’t embarrassed?

 

-Rizariza. Riza.

 

They were just sitting face to face, scratching each other’s backs and chatting peacefully.

 

Seeing this, the Spirit of the Lion King couldn’t help but feel doubtful.

 

What was the point of conducting a limit trial like this?

 

‘…This won’t do.’

 

No matter how much they were undead, making them meet such a dishonorable and wretched end even in death made him uncomfortable.

 

That would be insulting his forgotten friend.

 

‘I didn’t want to use this… but I have no choice.’

 

Muttering so, the Spirit of the Lion King took out something.

 

A crystal imbued with special energy.

 

For him, who had no physical body and only spirit remaining, this was an item that required a great price.

 

That’s why it was an item he had been reluctant to even touch carelessly, but this time was different.

 

Everything was so unreasonable that he felt he needed to do this to make sense of it.

 

‘Disciple. I shall thoroughly uncover what exactly you possess to display such unreasonable power that doesn’t match your level.’

 

His eyes, holding that item, flashed with the brilliant golden eyes of a lion.

 

[‘Eye of the True Lion King’ is being used.]

 

[Analyzing the true qualities hidden deep within the target’s inner self.]

 

‘…Th, this is!’

 

At the same time, something filled his entire field of vision.

 

Seeing it, his eyes widened and were soon filled with shock.

 

* * *

 

Crash-! Bang!

 

A heavy roar echoed, and the light faded from the eyes of the Death Knight who had once been a great knight.

 

Thud-

 

The Death Knight collapsed so helplessly.

 

Standing atop the fallen Death Knight, the man Dohyun couldn’t hide his smile.

 

He wasn’t savoring victory.

 

[You have defeated the Great Lion King’s Death Knight.]

 

[The Spirit of the Lion King blinks his eyes, asking what he just saw.]

 

[This will be reflected in your performance.]

 

[The Spirit of the Lion King, thinking something is strange, takes out something with firm resolve.]

 

[This will be reflected in your performance.]

 

[Level up!]

 

[Level up!]

 

“Nice! Great experience points. How many level-ups is this already?”

 

He was busy savoring the even sweeter experience points.

 

And for good reason – he had gained not just one but two whole levels.

 

This was honey beyond honey, so how could he not smile?

 

Even Gandhi, no, even Buddha wouldn’t be able to resist this.

 

-Owner, if you eat honey like that, you’ll get a stomachache.

 

-Rizariza…

 

“Yeah, no. I can still eat it 3 more times~”

 

-Geez, the world is really unfair.

 

“The world is originally unfair, you X… I mean, Jihad.”

 

-Mm. Opportunities are given to those who are prepared. Isn’t it all Master’s skill?

 

“Right, Charlie knows what’s up.”

 

-…Eliza, come here.

 

At Charlie’s consistent attitude, Jihad tried to signal to stop talking and retreat with Eliza, but…

 

-Riza!

 

-…Eliza?

 

-Rizariza!

 

Eliza avoided his touch and jumped onto Dohyun’s head.

 

Jihad’s face filled with shock.

 

It was like looking at a father watching his young daughter who used to act cute in his arms grow up and go to another guy.

 

-Forget it, none of it matters… This is why they say there’s no point in raising daughters.

 

-Riza? Rizariza!

 

Jihad became dejected with a hurt expression, and Eliza, seeing him like that, quietly went down to comfort him.

 

‘…Those guys never have a dull moment.’

 

Even while he was hunting, they seemed to be chattering and playing among themselves behind him.

 

Dohyun chuckled at their comedy routine and turned his gaze away.

 

‘But still, gaining 2 levels just from killing one Death Knight… Most field bosses wouldn’t even compare.’

 

Compare? They wouldn’t even reach his toes.

 

Considering how disgustingly slowly levels rose from the Empire onward, this was truly insane experience gain.

 

And this wasn’t just limited to Death Knights.

 

[You have cleared Stage 7 with perfect completion.]

 

[A slight delay occurs due to the extremely fast clear time.]

 

[Please wait a moment.]

 

The Skeleton Elites and Skeleton Soldiers encountered before defeating the Death Knight had also provided considerable experience points.

 

Almost one level was gained with each floor cleared.

 

‘The experience is too high compared to the difficulty level.’

 

He had simply been happy calling it a goldmine, but thinking calmly about it, it really was absurd.

 

Two assumptions naturally came to mind.

 

One was that the Lion King’s Tower provided higher experience than outside, or the same experience regardless of level.

 

For instance, whether reaching level 100 or level 71, the same experience would be gained, resulting in high experience gains.

 

And the other was…

 

‘When the Spirit of the Lion King reacts.’

 

Thinking about it, it seemed like his level went up soon after the Spirit of the Lion King showed shock and it was reflected in his performance.

 

Therefore, Dohyun was more inclined toward this theory, but it was just speculation.

 

It could be either one, or both.

 

‘Well, that’s not what’s important.’

 

Dohyun grinned and looked at the status window before him.

 

[Player: Kaiser]

 

[Level: 79]

 

[HP: 8,650 / 8,910]

 

[MP: 4,170 / 5,940]

 

[Stamina: 1,330 / 1,770]

 

[Class: Last Adventurer 【Successor of Kashiyar】]

 

[Titles (15)]

 

-Max Favorability from the Start?

 

-First Slayer

 

…(Expand)

 

[Stats]

 

【Strength: 190(+162)】 【Agility: 190(+162)】

 

【Vitality: 5(+176)】 【Sense: 65(+150)】

 

【Magic Power: 95(+151)】

 

Remaining Points: 23

 

‘Damn… It’s shining, it’s shining.’

 

The level achieved was 79.

 

About 30 minutes had passed since entering the tower, and he had gained 6 levels.

 

30 minutes. Not even an hour, but 30 minutes.

 

The smile never left Dohyun’s face at the unbelievable numbers for such an achievement in just 30 minutes.

 

‘I wish I could level up like this for life.’

 

An impregnable tower that no one had cleared for half a year?

 

The noble and great Lion King’s trial?

 

Unfortunately, right now it was nothing more or less than a goldmine hunting ground to help Dohyun’s explosive growth.

 

In all his time playing Godose, it had never been this much of a goldmine.

 

Ding-

 

[Stage 8 Limit Trial begins.]

 

[The boss of Stage 8 Limit Trial is an Elite Death Knight.]

 

And just then, a message announced the start of the next stage.

 

Dohyun also stopped thinking and gripped Heavenly Transformation.

 

‘After Skeleton Soldiers comes Elite Skeleton Soldiers, after Death Knights comes Elite Death Knights.’

 

Generally, Death Knights were classified as the ultimate undead of the skeleton soldier category.

 

Befitting a tower that tested the qualities of knights, with knight-related undead appearing, he could predict what would come in Stage 9.

 

‘Eternal Knight.’

 

A true undead knight that transcended the rank of death knights and lived through eternity.

 

In Demroc, it was said that if mages had liches, then knights had Eternal Knights – they were beings of such high rank.

 

If a knight-type undead of higher rank than Death Knights appeared, it would almost certainly be that.

 

‘…Well, it won’t be a complete Eternal Knight though.’

 

If that were the case, there should have been far fewer people who passed the trial with perfect scores.

 

Maybe there would have been none at all.

 

The Eternal Knight he had encountered once through a hidden piece in Demroc was twice as strong as Dohyun at the time and even maintained its reason.

 

There was no way he could handle it if it appeared in Godose, which had barely been released for 2 years.

 

‘Probably a Death Knight at the beginning stages of Eternal.’

 

An initial stage that hadn’t yet fully awakened reason and eternal power.

 

A beast-like existence that only possessed a strong body.

 

If something around that level appeared, the balance would seem about right. Of course, even that boasted tremendous power, so there was a high possibility that the real challenge would start from Stage 9.

 

[The stage is being modified for the Stage 8 Limit Trial.]

 

Rumble-

 

At that moment, as the notification appeared, the ground shook and the space began to narrow.

 

The space narrowed, the surrounding walls and ground gradually changed shape, and the flat earth had somehow become a rugged cliff area full of rocks.

 

It was a fascinating phenomenon, but Dohyun’s group reacted nonchalantly.

 

-It seems to have started now.

 

-Rizariza!

 

-Do I not need to step forward this time either, Owner?

 

“Move as you see fit depending on the situation.”

 

-Roger!

 

It was because this change always occurred when stages transitioned.

 

Having experienced it for the 7th time already, there was nothing particularly surprising about it anymore.

 

Creak-

 

[The Stage 8 boss Elite Death Knight opens its coffin and appears.]

 

The Elite Death Knight that appeared by opening a coffin placed alone among the rocks while spewing eerie mist was the same.

 

Instead, he was only excited about how much experience it would give.

 

…That’s definitely how it was.

 

Ding- Ding!

 

[The Spirit of the Lion King is shocked upon seeing something.]

 

[The Spirit of the Lion King is stunned for a while, then falls into a state of disbelief.]

 

[It sacrifices part of its spirit for confirmation and bends the tower’s rules.]

 

[The Lion King’s Tower, which was linked to the Spirit of the Lion King, accepts this.]

 

[The Limit Trial is forcibly terminated.]

 

[You have achieved the first Achievement of forcibly terminating the Great Lion King’s trial.]

 

[You have achieved a hidden condition.]

 

[The 2nd Trial is deleted, the 3rd Trial is deleted.]

 

“…What?”

 

Suddenly, notifications rang out loudly, and a festival of countless messages unfolded before his eyes.

 

The trials are deleted? A hidden condition achieved?

 

Without time to understand what all this meant, the system pronounced its verdict.

 

[Hidden Stage, Forgotten King opens.]

 

[Warning! There is an overwhelming gap. You may lose your life.]

 

“…Crazy.”

 

That a Hidden Stage had opened.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————